Construction of The New Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral
By 2000s, the archdiocese had long outgrown the 90-year-old Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Since it was originally constructed as a parish church, it had been enlarged over the years through a patchwork of renovations and additions and rather than make more expensive additions, the Archdiocese decided to construct a new Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
Ziegler Cooper Architects of Houston was selected to design and Linbeck Group was selected as general contractor. In the spring of 2002, design began for the new co-cathedral. Working with Joseph Fiorenza, then Bishop of Galveston-Houston, a model was constructed of the final design concept. Bishop Fiorenza took a picture of the co-cathedral model to the Vatican where he reportedly obtained approval of the design by then-Pope John Paul II.
On January 30, 2005, newly-elevated Archbishop Fiorenza presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for the new co-cathedral and construction began shortly afterwards. The new Sacred Heart serves the archdiocese as both an ecclesiastical and civic center.
The building footprint is 27,800 square feet (2,580 m2) occupying on a site of 37,000 square feet (3,400 m2). The co-cathedral will seat 1,820, with room for an additional 200 temporary chairs. The co-cathedral's is designed in a simplified Italian Romanesque style with a cruciform shape. The exterior is clad in Indiana Limestone and the interior is accented with 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) of marble. The shallow dome over the crossing extends to a height of 117 feet (36 m) over the 72 feet (22 m)-tall nave. The exterior of the dome is clad in copper and capped by a gilded crucifix while the interior features an 8 ft (2.4 m) occulus depicting the Holy Spirit in stained glass. The campanile is 140 feet (43 m) high. One hundred and eight stained glass panels and windows, including those in the Clerestory, were designed and constructed in Florence, Italy by Mellini Art Glass and Mosaics.
Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza, now Archbishop Emeritus of the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese oversaw construction of the new co-cathedral. In one of his articles in the Texas Catholic Herald, Fiorenza was quoted as saying:
"A Great Cathedral For A Great City"..."We stand today on the threshold of a tremendous era of growth and opportunity for our diocese...we will build the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in the center of Houston, a great modern city. This glorious cathedral will stand as a powerful symbol of the transcendence of God, and as an affirmation of the existence and importance of faith in a secular and disbelieving world. The Cathedral will serve as a soul and conscience of the city, reminding us of the importance of the spiritual amid the bustle of the commercial and corporate worlds - of the fact that God exists and faith matters."
The existence of the Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral does not affect the status of St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Galveston. Both the cathedral and co-cathedral will continue to serve the needs of the citizens of the archdiocese.
On April 2, 2008, the New Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart open its doors with a dedication Mass, attended by Bishops and Cardinals from across the United States and around the world. The new Co-Cathedral was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza. The final cost of the new Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was US$49,000,000.
Read more about this topic: Co-Cathedral Of The Sacred Heart (Houston)
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